History of Port of Cork Steam
Navigation.

1815-1915

(During the war, for obvious reasons, the following
details could not be published. The interregnum, however, enabled the writer to
extend the history to the end of 1918.)

“Glengariff,”
1893: 487 tons; built a Newcastle-on-Tyne by messrs. Wigham Richardson &
Co., Ltd., for the city of Cork Stream Packet Company, Ltd. Length 275 feet,
breath 35 feet, and depth 17 feet. This steamer has been continually running
during the whole period of war, and her immunity from distruction, by mine or
torpedo on her numerous voyages through the English and Irish Channels, is
remarkable.

She was
Torpedoed in the Irish Channel on Saturday, 2nd March 1918, between
Holyhead and Rockabill Light, on a voyage to Cork, under the command of Captain
P. Blackrock, and a crew numbering 33 all told.

The torpedo struck her amidships without warning,
the force of the explosion being terrific, and she at once commenced to got
down by the stern. Captain Black rock gave orders to launch the boats, and
succeeded, with portion of the crew, in getting into one of them, but within
two minutes the “Kenmare” went down carrying with her the boat and its
occupants, who subsequently came to the surface, struggling for life amidst the
wreckage which floated about. Mr. Evans, the chief officer, and timothy O’Brien
succeeded in getting into another, and as the “Kenmare” went down they floated
off, and seeing the donkey man, James Barry (he was 22 years in the ship) they
pulled him on board, and a little later on came upon another capsized Lifeboat,
from which they rescued the steward, James Wright. He was found with his head
sticking out from the upturned boat, they had great difficulty in extracting
him from his perilous position, as he could not assist himself owing to one of
his arms being fractured. They also subsequently rescued the gunner, J.
Brougham, and the carpenter, A. Philips, who were floating amongst the floating
wreckage. At this time the cries of the drowning men t were piteous, but owing
to the darkness, it was impossible to locate them, and after the cries had
gradually died away, they had reluctantly to abandon the search.

The “Kenmare”
narrowly escaped destruction by submarine on two previous occasions. On Sunday
7th June, 1915, she was attacked by gunfire off Youghal, but
fortunately escaped with slight damage; and on the second occasion in January,
1918, when about seven miles off Hollyhead, bound from Liverpool to Cork, a
torpedo just missed striking her, having passed only a few feet astern, right
under the log line trailing from the taffrail.

Sunk by German
submarine at 10.30 am on Thursday, 23rd May 1918, between the
Skerries and the Kish lightship, just as the Irish land was sighted. She was on
a voyage from Liverpool to Cork with general cargo, under the command of
Captain Albert Cole.

Mr. Wilkinson,
second officer, was on the bridge, when the look out man called his attention
to a torpedo coming in the direction of the ship. He instantly ordered the helm
hard to port, jumped across the bridge to help the man at the wheel to do so,
but only succeeded in getting it overa
few spokes when the torpedo struck the ship rightabreast of the boilers and engine room. The impact was terrible,
and the scene which followed was appalling, the boilers burst, scattered death
and destruction around, and many were killed outright by falling debris.

Captain Cole
at once gave orders to lower the lifeboats, but as the “Innisfallen” was
rapidly sinking (she went down in a few minutes) it was only possible to launch
one of them, her occupants being;- Captain Cole, J. B Mullins, 1st officer;
J. Wilkinson, 2nd officer; and W. J. Collister, 1st
engineer.

The lifeboat was also doomed to destruction, as the
rigging of the sinking steamer fouled her, capsized and smashed it, leaving
them struggling. Fortunately they saw another of the lifeboats which floated
off the “Inisfallen” as she went down, and they succeeded in getting into her.

Mr. Robert
King, the 3rd engineer, gives the following thrilling account of the
disaster: “When the explosion occurred I was asleep in one of the state rooms,
and was completely knocked out of my bunk, being thrown onto the floor. I then
saw that the floor of the room has been burst up and the room all wreaked. I
crawled out on my hands an knees, and when got on deck saw a raft. The
“Inishfallen” was at this time nearly submerged, the afterdeck being awash.
After some time I reached the raft, on which I found the chief steward, a
sailor and a gunner, and Just as I climbed on to it I saw the “Inishfallen” go
under.”

Another
survivor, J. C. Twomey, A. B. States:- “Several of us managed to get hold of
lifebelts, but I could not get mine on before the boilers exploded. Some of the
boats were smashed and eleven of us succeeded in getting into a boat which
afterwards capsized, and we were all flung into the water. I then grasped the
keel of an upturned boat and got astride it, and after some time I saw other
survivors in another boat and hailed then, and soon afterwards they hauled me
aboard.

“While I was clinging to the capsized boat, the
submarine came to the surface quite close. She was a very large one,
camouflaged all over with different coloured stripes, and about thirty of her
crew were on deck, who in the most callous manner were looking on, jeering and
laughing, until smoke was seem on the horizon, when she suddenly submerged and
made off”.

This proves to
be H.M. destroyer “Kestrel,” which arrived on the scene shortly after “Inishfallen"
went down and ultimately rescued twenty-four survivors from the rafts and
boats. The destroyer dropped several depth charges to destroy the submarine,
butwhether they were successful or not
is not known. The destroyer searched around on the scene of the calamity in the
hope of finding other survivors, but nothing was seen except floating wreckage.
She then proceeded to Dublin and landed the survivors at the North wall. The 2nd
officer and a fireman was detained in Hospital in Dublin owing to injuries
received.

This steamer
had a marvellous escape from destruction on the 30th October 1915. I
am indebted to the “Liverpool Journal commerce” for the following particulars:-

“At about
11.15 a.m. she was attacked by aeroplanes in the North Sea, off the north and
west Hinder Lightships, on a voyage from Rotterdam to Liverpool, under the
command of Fredrick F. Brennell. One was a large Battle plane, which dropped 36
bombs, some of which fell within 7 feet of the “Avocet.”

“They then
took up a position off the port beam and opened fire on the bridge with machine
guns, the ship’s side and decks being struck by bullets. The Battle Plane
attacked with great skill, from a height of from 800 to 1,000 feet, flew ahead
of the steamer, suddenly turned, and came end on to meet her. When parallel
bombs were dropped so as to make sure of a hit.

“Captain
Bernnell ordered the helm to be put hard to starboard and as she swung round to
port, three bombs just missed the starboard bow and three the port quarter. Had
the vessel continued her course the bombs would have rained on her, dropping on
the forecastle and poop deck as the aeroplanes passed over her.

“Seeing the
ship was unhurt they opened rifle fire. The action lasted 35 minutes, and then
they flew away.

“An
examination of the ship was made, when it was found that the decks were
littered with shrapnel, but otherwise she was uninjured. The man on the lookout
actually remained at his post during the attack, and reported a floating mine
right ahead while the bombs were bursting around him. ”Harelda,” 1901; 651
tons; Cork Steam Ship Company, Ltd. Builtat Newcastle by Messrs. Wigham Richardson & Co., Ltd.

She was
commanded (until his retirement in March 1918) by captain Henry Hore. He
entered the service of the company as far back as 1872, and during his long and
successful career in connection with it, earned for himself the respect and
esteem of the directors and travelling public, who fully appreciated his many
qualities as a typical sailor, and who at al times displayed marked ability in
the discharge of his onerous duties, while in command of various steamers
belonging to the company, but especially as Captain of the “Inniscarra.” She
was the finest ship owned by the City of Cork Steam Package Company, and her
record under his command was a remarkable one.

She
practically crossed the Irish Channel every night during the four years of war,
year in year out, on her voyages to and from Fishguard, almost with the
regularity of a railway train, in the face of untold perils from mines and
submarine.

On Captain
Hore’s retirement Captain P.F. Kelly (who was, as I will show later on, in
command of the “Bandon” when she was torpedoed) was appointed Captain of
the “Inniscarra” and she continued on the Fishguard service until,
without a moments warning, was sent to her doom by a German submarine.

Through the
courtesy of Captain Kelly I am enable to give full details of the disaster, and
I cannot do better then quote his own words:-

“The
Inniscarra,” sailed from Fishguard, 915 p.m. Saturday, 11th May
1918, for cork, with 90 tons of general cargo, and a crew numbering thirty-six.
The weather was clear, with strong north-westerly winds. After being well clear
of the channel at midnight, we shaped a course for cork harbour, which we
expected to reach early on Sunday morning.

“Face to face
with the dangers which surrounded us, I was practically on the bridge from the
time we sailed till we passed Mine Head, on the Waterford coast at 4.20 a.m.
(summertime) , when the “Inniscarra” was struck by a torpedo on the post side
forward between numbers one and two hatched, causing a terrible explosion which
blew up the hatches and everything at the fore end of the ship. I immediately
stopped the engines and gave five short blasts of the whistle, which was the
pre-arranges signal for all hands to come on deck. Mr. Steward F, Swan, chief
officer, at the same time brought the box of rockets from the wheel-house and
commenced firing themas distress
signals, indicating we wanted help.

“Number one
and number four lifeboats were already swung outboard ready for lowering (they
were carried in this manner each voyage) and the other four boats were in the
chocks, clear of the grips readyto
float off.

“Mr. Swan was
in charge of the lowering of number one lifeboat, and Mr. Evens, second
officer, number four boat. I told them not to put the boats in the water at
once, but to lower a little, as the “Inniscarra” had too much way on(when
torpedoed her speed was sixteen knots), as it would be impossible to lower the
boats completely, without rendering the useless, or losing them altogether.

“Soon after I
saw from the bridge that the ship was doomed and going down by the head
rapidly, taking a listto port,
afterwards righted. I called to the crew to lower away the boats, to get into
them, and any of those who could not succeed in doing so to follow me to the
raft on the fore deck, and just as the bow was going under I jumped from the
bridge to the fore deck, followed by Mr. Swan, and grasped the raft, at the
same time pulled one of the cattle men on to it. The ship then took her final
plunge, and disappeared at an angle of about 50 degrees, three minutes after
the torpedo struck her.

“As the raft
floated off the sinking ship, it was struck by an uprish of water from number
two hold, and was flung with great violence against the bridge, crushing by leg
badly, and at the same time washing thecattleman and myself off the raft. I was in the water for about five
minutes when I heard Mr. Swan say to Bird that they were the only tow left. I then
swam towards the raft and was helped on to it again, but there was no trace of
the cattleman, and we never saw him again.

“At this time
a considerable number of crew were struggling for life amidst the wreckage, and
were piteously crying aloud for help, when fortunately an empty lifeboat (number
two) drifted alongside the raft. We transferred to her (she was full of water)
in the hope of rescuing them, and as we were about to do so, saw the submarine
coming thought the wreckage towards us.

“Her
Lieutenant at one ordered us alongside saying, ‘Ah there you are, you swine! ‘
and asked us ‘where is the captain,’ I replied he was lost. Then he asked for
the fist officer, gunners and marconi operators. I replied that they were all
drowned. During the time he was questioning us, he was continually firing with
a revolver over our heads. The Commander the came down from the platform around
the conning tower, where were stationed about a dozen of his crew who covered
our lifeboat with their rifles. He ordered the quartermaster, J. Bird, abroad
the submarine and asked him who was on board the boat and their rank. Bird
replied ‘two sailor and asteward.’ (I
had previously instructed those in the boat to reply thus in the event of being
questioned.).”The Lieutenant then ordered Mr. Swam and the Steward on board,
leaving me alone in the boat. He demanded the name of the ship, where from and
where bound, cargo, & c. The commander spoke English fluently. The
Lieutenant was in a most excited state, and behaved like a maniac. He gave some
letters to the steward to post when he reached shore. These proved to be from
the Captains of ships he had sunk who were prisoners on board the submarine,
and also one addressed to ‘Mr. Lloyd George, Prime Minister, downing Street,
London.’ It stated, “We have been having a nice and interesting time in the
Irish Sea. All we have missed is some of your speeches to laugh over.’ The
letter was signed ‘Hun, Barbarian, and Baby-killer.’

“The commander
then ordered the men back to the lifeboat, apparently satisfied that none of
the officers of the ‘Inniscarra had survived.

“ The
submarine then made off at great speed in an easterly direction, and in doing
nearly capsized our boat. During the time we were alongside the submarine the
pitiful cries of our luckless shipmates could be heard on all sides, but the
crew of the submarine paid little attention to them, displaying the most
indifference to their awful fate, and had it not been for the time that we were
delayed by the submarine, we could have saved several of our drowning crew.

“After her
departure we cruised around, but the poor fellows had all disappeared, victims
to ‘German Culture!’ I call it murder.

“Just then, as
the day was breaking, we saw one of our lifeboats, and hailing her, were
answered by Daniel Warren, A.B., her sole occupant. As his boat was in good
condition, and also had a sail, we went on board her and rowed round the
vicinity for a while, in the forlorn hope of picking up survivors, but our
quest was in vain.

“We then made
sail towards the land and headed about North, North-east, and at nine a.m. our
position being then about seven miles off Mine Head, we were rescued by H.M.
Trawler “Rodney” from whom we received every care and attention. The officers
and crew spared no pains to make us comfortable, supplying us with dry clothes,
& c. Before being rescued we suffered considerably from cold, and in order
to circulate the blood in our bodies, I rowed and also made my fellow survivors
do so. When taken aboard the trawler I gave the Captain the position where the
‘Inniscarra’ was sunk. He proceeded to the locality, but only found an empty
lifeboat, some wreckage, and the raft (the latter subsequently drifted ashore
at Fethard, Co Waterford, and on it was found my pocket book, which was duly
forwarded to me).

“The ‘Rodney’
then proceeded for home, towing out two lifeboats, and we duly arrived a
Queenstown at 2.30 p.m. on Sunday. On our Arrival we were met by Brennan of the
Clyde Shipping Co., Captain Henry Blanchard, Harbour Master, sir James Long and
Dr. O’Connor, who attended to our injuries These gentlemen treated us with
great kindness and consideration.

“Ambulances
and mortor cars, also awaited our arrival, and Mr.Brennan accompanied us to our
homes in Cork.

“Mr. Swan’s
left arm was injured; J. Bird’s shoulder and arm being crushed, and steward J.
Keane has his Jaw and mouth injured. We also suffered from cramp.

“I cannot
speak too highly of the bravery of the entire crew from the moment the ship was
torpedoed, and can only say that they upheld the high tradition of the sailors
of our port and counrty, obeying to the last. I have also to place on record
the gallentry of the two gunners, A. Page (Northhampton) and A. Tucker
(Swansea). They stood by their gun to the last, ready to fire on the submarine
should she have appeared, and lost their lives through devotion to duty”

She was
attacked in the North Sea by German Aeroplanes in 4 Nov.,1915 on a voyage from
Liverpool tp Rotterdam, under the comand ofCaptain P. Kelly.

The Aeroplanes
were right over the ship dropping bombs and firing from maxim guns. The crew
replied by firing rifles with a view to put the aeroplanes out of action.
Captain Kelly meanwhile steered a zig-zag course, and ordered the engineers to
give the vessel all the speed they could, and in this way managed to dodge the
falling bombs. Rockets were also sent up, and after a while the Germans seeing
that the “Dotterel” was making such a gallant fight, gave up the contest and beat
a hasty retreat.

On their departure ans examination was made, when
it was found that the hull of the ship, a steam pipe, one of the lifeboats and
a ventilator were more or less damages by bullets from the maxims.

She was
subsequently sunk by a mine off the French coast on 29th November,
1915, five lives being lost.

The Lord Mayor
of Liverpool presided over a meeting in Liverlpool Town Hall in 31st
January,1916, and presented to Captain Frederick F. Brennell of the “Avocet”
and Capt. Patrick Kelly of the “Dotterel” cheques for 100 guineas, which had
been awarded by the Liverpool and London War Risks Association, in recognition
of theircourage and seamanlike ability
in fighting and finally evading German Aircraft. Sir Norman Hill said: “That
many presentations were made during the war in recognition of the gallentry and
ability with which seamen had overcome the murderous attacks of submarines, but
he ventured to think that in no cases had greater gallentry been shown that in
those of the “Avocet” and Dotterel.”

The Cork Steam
Ship Company, Ltd., also made awards to the officers and crews of both ships.

This vessel
was sunk by a German submarine at 8 p.m. on April, 1917, while on a voyage from
Havre to the Bristol Channel in ballast, under the command of Captain Henry
Blanchard, who has given me the following graphic account og the terrible
disaster.

“I had just come off the bridge leaving the second
officer, Mr. Fluery, in charge, and has only reashed my room with the chief
officer, Mr. H. Hore, when we were startled by a fearful explosion which jamed
the door, and it looked as if our means of exit was cut off. However, after out
combined efforts we succeeded in forcing it open, and stepping out we found
water up to out waists, ans a scene of the most awful devestation met our eyes,
the engine room shylight being a mass of twisted iron and broken glass, the
steam escaping from the engine room in dense clouds.

“I realised at
ones that the “Lismore” was doomed, and immediately we set to work to lower
away the after starboard lifeboat. As we did so the ship took a heave list to
starboard and commenced to go down by the head, thus adding to the difficulty
and danger of lowering the boat,and at the same time the position of the ship
caused the lowering falls to foul, but fortunately a heavy sea lifted the
lifeboat and when she rose on itautomatically freed the falls; then she drifted aft, the steamers stern
being out of the water, with the propellor rapidly revolving over our heads. In
fact we thought our last moment had come. We even felt our faces fanned by the
breeze caused by it, but we miraculously drifted clear, and in about four
minutes the ship went down. We then rowed about amidst the debris, and hearing
cries around us, succeeded in picking up five of our crew who were struggling
in the water.

“Immediately
after this the submarine came to the surface quite close, with postionn of her
crew on deck armed with rifles.

“She then approached,
threw a line ordering us to make it fast to our boat. We did so, and the
submarine steadied us, heas on to the sea. Her commander questioned us as to
the cargo, identity of the ship, where we were bound for etc. When he learned
that we were not carrying any cargo, he became quite angry, evidently because
the result of his action did not cause the loss of a crago-laden steamer.

“The submarine
then commenced to tow us, with her deck partly awash. She had the towing rope
made fast to a revolving drum on her deck, and was slowly drawing us on to her
partly submerged deck. Seeing this I passed the word along to slip the rope,
but the chanceof doing this so unobserved did not occur. The result was that we
were towed right on until we struck the submarine, when we let go and drifted
clear.

“On seeing
this the u-boat came full speed astern, and striking us on the port bow damaged
four planks. We immediately hailed them , that our boat was badly holed, in a
sinking condition, and very likely we would be drowned before we reached the
shore. The submarine then disapeared for a while, but shortly re-appeared, and
the officer in charge asked us: ‘were we really sinking?’ We answered in the
affirmative, and he ironically said ‘Good-bye’ and disappeared in the darkness.

“After waiting
some time to ascertain if ther were any other survivors and that the submarine
had really taken her departure, we set sail onour boat and with aFavourable breeze, set a course for the
land, until we made out the **** on Cap* Antifer Lighthouse, on the French
coast, when we were fortunatly seen and picked up by a British Patrol Boat and
taken into Havre.

“We were
treated with great kindness by the British Admiralty and the officials of the
British and Foreign sailors’ Society. Seven of our crew who were wounded when
the torpedo struck the ship, received every care and attention tha medical
science could afford during their stay at Havre.”

The
illustration shows sir Henry O’Shea, Lord Mayor, accompanied by the Corporation
of Cork and a large party of guests, “Throwing the Dart” from the bridge of the
“Ardmore” on the 31st July 1914, when the steamer had reached an
imaginary line between Poor Head and Cork Head.

The “Ardmore”
siled from London for cork under the command of Captain Richard Murray, on 11th
November, 1917, with general cargo. All went well going down the English Channel,
although during that week several ship were sunk there.

In accordance
with instructions she called at Milford Haven, leaving shortly after, in order
to cross the Irish Channel during the darkness of night. At 10 p.m. on the 13th
November, when about 6 miles off the Conninhbeg Light Vessel, on the Wexford
coast, a challenge was flashed out by morse signal asking: “What ship is that,
where bound, & c., &c.?” Captain Murray, in accordance with sailing
instructions ordering him to answer challenges, replied: “Ardmore, London to
Cork.” The night being hazy, it was difficult to see objects at very great
distance, sometimes the haze developed into a dence fog, and although the
outline of the vessel indicated a patrol boat, it seems beyond question that it
was the submarine which shortly atfer sent the “Ardmore” to her doom.

At about 10.30
p.m. Captain Murraywas on the bridge
with Mr. Jogoe, chief officier; the carpenter Griffiths, and two seamen, when
an appalling explosion occurred on the starboard side forward of the bridge,
shaking the ship from stem to stern, at the same time reducing all the glass in
the wheel-house to powder.The Captain ordered the boats to be launched
immediately, and with the chief officer assisted to lower the forward starboard
lifeboat, some ofthe crew being
already in it. The “Ardmore” reamined upright for a very short time, then
suddenly plunged head foremost into the depths of the sea, taking everything
and all on board down with her. On coming to the surface Captain Murray caught
hold of a piece of wreakage, to which he clung for some time. Subsequently
hearing voices in the distance, he shouted loudly, and in response was answered
by T. Murphy, one ofthe sailors: 2We
are in a lifeboat full of water.” The Captain continued shouting at intervals,
and was responded to each time, the fog being then very dense. Atfer clinging
to the wreakage forabout an hour, he
was picked up by those in the lifeboat, in a very exhauisted state (he had on his
heavy boots and bridge overcoat).

The lifeboat
was badly damaged, either by the explosion or by striking against the ship’s
side. Shortly after the weather cleared, and the Conningbeg light vessel could
be again seen to the eastward, just on the horizon. They then commenced to row,
and headed the water-loggedboat for
the light, but made little progress. The cold was intence, in addition to which
they were waist-high in the water. It was a terrible time for the survivors, as
the waves frequently rolled into the boat,drenching them again and again.

About
midnight, in the darkness, a steamer’s hull came into view, and as she passed
close, they hailed her, and those onboard answered. (They also could hear her
engines going full speed astern).

Just then the
fog enveloped everything, and she passed out of sight, and was never seen
again.(It was afterwards learned that this steamer rescued Walsh the cook.)
Those in the lifeboat had an anxious time during that awful night, waiting for
dawn. When it came not a vestige of a vessel was to be seen, and their chance
of rescue seemed hopeless, when suddenly, away to the southward, they saw smoke
on the horizon, and later the masts and funnels of a steamer. On and on she
came, heading for the lifeboat, and in a short time arrived on the scene and
rescued them at 8 a.m.

After the
rescue a red flare was senn, towards which the “Au Breitia” preceeded, and on
coming up with it ,saw a lifeboat with a man standing in it,who turned out to
be Mr. Johnson, second officer of the “Ardmore,” whom they also rescured. (As I
have shown he was subsequently drowned in the “Kenmare,” when that vessel was
torpedoed.)

The “Au
Breitia” then proceeded to Queenstown and duly landed the survivors, in a
pitiable condition : their lips blue, their limbs numbed, and a considerable
time elapsed before circulation was brought about.

Michael Walsh, the cook (also in the “Lismore” and
“innisfallen” when torpedoed had a marvellous escape. At the time of the explosion
he jumped overboard and went down in the vortex caused by the sinking steamer,
but being a good swimmer he managed to keep afloat. It was with great
difficulty he was able to do so at all, owing to the intence cold water, and
was practically exhausted until fortunately he came across a piece of wreakage
(a cattle board) to which he clung. Poor fellow, he had a bad time swimming
about in thick oil, part of the cargo carried on barrels which were smashed at
the time of the exlposion. About 1 a.m. he dimly saw a steamer amidst the
darkness, and loudly hailed her. After a time they succeeded in locating him
and lowering a rope over the side to which a lifebouy was attached, he grasped
it and was hauled on board in a state of collapse. She proved to be the
American Steamer, “I.H. Lookingback.” He was treated with great kindness while
on board, to which the steamer deviated form her course in order to put to
Queenstown, where he was duly landed.

She sailed from Liverpool
for Cork on the 12th April 1917, under the command of Captain P.F. Kelly (As I
have shown he was also in command of the Inniscarra when Torpedoed) with a crew
numbering 32 in all told. He was on the bridge all that night and until 4 p.m.
the following day. Being tired after his long and anxious vigil, he decided to
go to his room for a short rest, leaving the second officer, Mr. O Brien, in
charge. The "Bandon" was off Mine Head. After a short time, as he was
changing into his shore clothes, and in the act of buttoning his waistcoat, the
ship was struck by a torpedo on the port side, abreast of the engine room, and
immediately began to sink. On opening the door of his room, he stepped right
into the water, knee-deep, and proceeded to the bridge and ordering the helm
hard to port, so as to head the ship to land. Fearing the boilers would explode
he endeavoured to make his way aft, but in the space of a minute the ship sank
from under his, flames and sparks issuing from her funnel and engine room. Just
as she was sinking he made an attempt to get hold of the stern of one of the
life-boats on deck (her bow was flung inwards by the force of the explosion)
but missed her and was carried down with the ship. As she sank the main stay
caught him across the back, but he managed after what seemed a long time to
clear himself, and came to the surface. When he was being dragged down in the
vortex, he saw the chief officer, Mr. Ferne, and some of the crew on the after
deck house, near one of the life-boats, but when he (Captain Kelly) came to the
surface, they had all disappeared, having gone down with the ship.

After a short time, while
swimming about amidst the wreckage, he saw the third engineer, Mr. Mercer,
clinging to one of the life-saving collapsible deck-seats, which floated off
the "Bandon's" deck, and grasped it, when it capsized. He then swam
round to its end and opening it out it became more buoyant. In addition to
Captain Kelly and Mr. Mercer the following members of the ill-fated ship were
holding on the seat viz., J. OKeeffe, fireman, and the carpenter, also J.
McCarthy, A.B. (who afterwards became exhausted, lost his hold of the raft, and
was drowned), and a fireman named Walsh.

After 6 p.m. they
described a boat in the offing, which proved to be a motor launch (M.L. boat)
which speedily came on to the scene (she had been order to go th their rescue
by telegram for Mine Head Lighthouse) and picked up four survivors, after being
2 1/2 hours in the water. The fifth man, Walsh, in letting go of the raft
grasped the large rope fender of the motor launch, but just as he did so she
took a heavy roll, with the result. he lost his grasp and was drowned.

Nothing could exceed the kindness of the crew of the launch.
The survivors were given hot tea, coffee, warm blankets, & c.

They arrived at Dungarvan
about 9 p.m., and were met by the local doctor and others, who took them to the
Devonshire Arms Hotel. Captain Kelly at once sent a telegram to the Company at
Cork, Advising the loss of the ship and also the names of the survivors.

Lost on 15th
Nov., 1911, having gone ashore at ballycrennan, in Ballycotton Bay, on a voyage
from Rotterdam to Cork and Liverpool with general cargo, portion of which was
salved and brought round to Cork.

She struck a
mine on 1st October, 1916, in the Harve Roads, and in the Twinkling
of an eye the cargo of petrol she was carrying burst into flames, the fire
spreading so rapidly that it became impossible to launch lifeboats, except one
boat on the port side, into which portion of the crew scrambled and other
junped into the sea.

The successful
launching of the boat was due to a daring act of bravery on the part of Mr.
Joseph Connolly (a Cork man), third engineer, for which he was decorated by his
majesty the King.

Nothwithstanding
the danger of being swallowed up by the flames the added risk of being drowned,
he returned to his post in the engine room and stopped the engines, which
enabled the lifeboat to be successfully launched.

The vessel was
subsequently beached, but became a total wreck, three of the crew being
drowned.

Torpedoed in
Bristol channel, November 1917. fifteen of the crew missing.

In the early
portion of the history I have given particulars of severla steamships which
sailed from our port, but were destined never to return, having met destruction
on many a rock on our iorn-bound coasts. But where were the crews? Their
struggle has long since been over; their bones whitened in the caverns of the
deep. Silence in oblivion, like the waves, have closed over them, and sad
indeed beyond telling is the story of their end. Yet we must not forget that
these brave sailors were the pioneers of our cross-channel and other trades,
and were in the early days of steamships face to face with the many
difficulties, as the risk of the engines, etc., now breaking down has almost
disappeared, the machinery of the modern steamship being brought to a state of
perfection which a former generation did not possibly anticipate.

But coming
down to this our day, who shall measure the bravery and daring of the sailors
of the mercantile marine, particularly those belonging to our port? Do we fully
realize the awful realities of the late terrible submarine method of warfare.
In normal times a sailors life is a hazardous and anxious one, but during the
fours years’ of war it was more than perilous, and, as I have shown, death and
destruction came swiftly ans suddenly.

Many a brave
sailor has been stricken in his strength, and indeed ther is no more touching
or pathetic spectacle. It reminds one of some noble forest tree, some mightly
oak, which for long years had weathered the elements at their worst, and still
stands to all appearance staunch and strong, when suddenly it falls to the
ground, bringing with it, not only the young branches and tender shoots, but
also the ivy which has grown around it.

So it is with
the brave sailor who perished with his ship. His wife, his family, his
dependants, all were stricken when his last cry of human anguish mingled with
the roar of the waves was silenced for ever. But oh, the aftermath of the deep
tragic sorrow of the widows and orphans ofthose who perished in the “Inniscarra,” “Ardmore,” “Lismore,”
“Bandon,” and “Kenmare,” and the various steamers of the Cork
Steamship Company, Ltd., they will for evermore be face to face with
unfathomable poignant sorrow- the widows for their husbands and the children
for their fathers whom they shall never see more, who were sent to their doom
without a moment’s warning by a cruel and relentless enemy, whose inhuman
method of maritime warfare was without parallel since the dawn of civilization,
leaving them alone to face the storm and stress of life, blighted in their days
of hope and happiness, and living links almost wrenched by sorrow from the
immense chain of the human family.